Cultural competency across cultures implies the ability to understand how to work with other individuals and organizations all over the world and have their tasks done (Steers, Nardon, & Sánchez-Runde, 2013, p. 1). The key attributes discussed in across the cultures competency feature include the skills, knowledge and abilities of teams, organizations and individuals as well to be efficient in carrying out various tasks. The task mentioned include how the three groups understand and appreciate the traits that make certain cultures different and how they influence behavior. Additionally, the understanding of how values such as collectivism and individualism affects the making of decisions by groups and individual matter towards this cultural competency. In following the key attributes, one's understanding, leadership and motivation of employees with varying attitudes and values is key. The attributes and value may vary from personality, Western life, to an extent that the country will take care of the collective mindset. There is also the importance of a person having the ability to communicate in the language of a state he/she works. This applies majorly to people working in places outside their areas of origin. Besides, working in a foreign nation call for the ability to have the three key attributes. According to Carlos Ghosn, experience is not enough when working across cultures. In fact, he says, the increased globalization has transformed the landscape of business climate and created a demand for business leaders who can work across and in various cultures “creating a demand for business leaders who can operate in and across different cultures” (Hellriegel & Slocum, 2011, p. 18). Ghosn believes the for a leader to be successful in his/her leadership across cultures there are two main things that come to play—empathy and respect. Ghosn calls for leaders understand, rather love, the country and its culture.
References
Hellriegel, D. & Slocum, J. (2011). Organizational behavior. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.
Steers, R. M., Nardon, L., & Sánchez-Runde, C. (2013). Management across cultures: Developing global competencies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
